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Journals / The International Journal of Energy and Engineering Sciences / 2026 / Volume: 11 Issue: 2

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON CHARPY IMPACT TOUGHNESS OF JUTE FABRIC REINFORCED SANDWICH COMPOSITES: BALSA VS. XPS CORES

Burak Dumrul(GAZİANTEP ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0009-0001-0703-4946
Ahmet Erkliğ(GAZIANTEP UNIVERSITY)0000-0003-3906-3415
Pages
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Publication Date
2026-02-23
DOI
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The results demonstrated that the core material significantly governs the impact response and energy absorption capacity.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study experimentally investigates the Charpy impact characteristics of sandwich composites comprising jute fabric reinforced epoxy face sheets with two distinct core materials: natural balsa wood and synthetic Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) foam.
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Key Findings & Data:Three configurations were tested according to ISO 179-1 standards: monolithic jute laminate, Jute/Balsa/Jute, and Jute/XPS/Jute sandwich structures.
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Conclusion & Impact:The results demonstrated that the core material significantly governs the impact response and energy absorption capacity.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Charpy impact test · Sandwich composites · Jute fiber

Abstract

This study experimentally investigates the Charpy impact characteristics of sandwich composites comprising jute fabric reinforced epoxy face sheets with two distinct core materials: natural balsa wood and synthetic Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) foam. The composite panels were fabricated using a hand lay-up technique followed by hot-press consolidation. Three configurations were tested according to ISO 179-1 standards: monolithic jute laminate, Jute/Balsa/Jute, and Jute/XPS/Jute sandwich structures. The results demonstrated that the core material significantly governs the impact response and energy absorption capacity. The balsa-core sandwich composite exhibited the highest average impact toughness (1.99 J), absorbing 184% more energy than the monolithic jute laminate (0.70 J) and approximately 90% more than the XPS-core configuration (1.05 J). Fractographic analysis revealed that balsa-core specimens underwent ductile failure mechanisms, including fiber pull-out and matrix deformation, whereas XPS-core specimens exhibited brittle fracture with limited energy dissipation. These findings highlight the potential of balsa-cored natural fiber composites for sustainable, lightweight, and impact-resistant structural applications.

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Cite This Article

Dumrul, B., Erkliğ, A. (2026). EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON CHARPY IMPACT TOUGHNESS OF JUTE FABRIC REINFORCED SANDWICH COMPOSITES: BALSA VS. XPS CORES. The International Journal of Energy and Engineering Sciences, Volume: 11 Issue: 2. https://ajindex.com/articles/1551677

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